Joey Cheek is 27 and Emily is 17. I can't imagine why he would have been even slightly interested in her, even if he didn't have a girlfriend.

What I find interesting is that she is seeking coaching advice from other sources, not just from Retzinger. But I have my doubts if that will help. Audrey Weisiger has worked with Tim Goebel, but we saw no improvement in his jumps.

Emily says she wants to keep skating for 4 more years to go back to the Olympics, but also wants to go to college. If she tries to mix college with competitive skating, she might find it a bit difficult to stay in the top ranks of US skaters. As it is this season, she will be in a neck-and-neck battle with Katy Taylor for that #2 spot, and BeBe Liang and Christine Zukowski are not pushovers either. There are new, younger skaters on the rise (Rachael Flatt and Caroline Zhang) for future years.

What I find interesting is that she is seeking coaching advice from other sources, not just from Retzinger. But I have my doubts if that will help.

Emily Hughes has travelled widely for outside coaching for many years now, including to Frank Carroll in LA, IIRC. From the article: "Bonni Retzkin has been Hughes' coach since she was about 4, but Hughes has spent a lot of time in Fairfax over recent years. Likewise, [Nick] Perna has made numerous trips to Long Island."

I think Hughes is going to go the route of Hughes. Emily, just like her sister Sarah seems to want to go to college and live the life of a normal university student. I think it will depend on her level of success in the coming years. Maybe if she thinks an OM is within her reach, she'll go for it. Or maybe she'll just be content with a National or World medal. WIth Cohen and Kwan gone, she'll have a clear shot at a national title, and that's something big hughes doesn't have. As for the world scene, I think she still has some "developing" to do. Exactly what kind of developing? the experts can say it much better than I can.

Emily

Originally Posted by Sylvia

Emily Hughes has travelled widely for outside coaching for many years now, including to Frank Carroll in LA, IIRC. From the article: "Bonni Retzkin has been Hughes' coach since she was about 4, but Hughes has spent a lot of time in Fairfax over recent years. Likewise, [Nick] Perna has made numerous trips to Long Island."

I wouldn't put it past many guys. You have 50-something year old guys marrying 20 year old girls. 10 years is nothing, man...or at least now it seems.

That's true, Catherine from AI is dating someone twice her age. And look at Sienfeld and McCartny. Now 17 might have quite a bit of "interest differences," maybe even culture and activities, but Emmie is as individual as any situation might dictate for anyone. Plus they have in common "love of the ice." Not to far fetched, and everyone can dream or have a crush. I swear if Katie Couric just would have met me.....

Sure there are lots of men dating much younger women. But a 27-year-old dating a high school girl? I don't think so. Emily is not particularly good-looking, and she seems younger than she actually is. I believe Joey Cheek's actual girlfriend is a college senior, which would make her 21 or 22.

Emily will have to outskate Kimmie Meissner to win a US title. I don't think that is in the cards. Kimmie wants that title, too, and she has a couple of 3/3s and maybe a 3A in her arsenal. Emily has an ordinary jump repertoire, and worse, she has yet to skate a clean FS in a Senior event. I thought Katy Taylor should have won the bronze medal last season, and I think she has a good shot at winning silver this coming Nationals. Emily will have to fight for a podium placement, and it is very unlikely to be at the top.

Emily is not particularly good-looking, and she seems younger than she actually is.

Remember that beauty is always in the eye of the beholder

Emily will have to outskate Kimmie Meissner to win a US title. I don't think that is in the cards. Kimmie wants that title, too, and she has a couple of 3/3s and maybe a 3A in her arsenal. Emily has an ordinary jump repertoire, and worse, she has yet to skate a clean FS in a Senior event. I thought Katy Taylor should have won the bronze medal last season, and I think she has a good shot at winning silver this coming Nationals. Emily will have to fight for a podium placement, and it is very unlikely to be at the top.

I think Hughes has a good chance at being on the national podium again. And one has to remember that the ice is always slippery. And if you have 3-3's in your "arsenal" it can be even more slippery.

Um, Kimmie was 3rd at Nationals in 2005 and 2nd in 2006. She is now the reigning World Champion. I think she has pretty much proven she can not only land those 3/3s when it counts, but also handle herself well under pressure, be it National or International, slippery ice or not.

Emily has no 3/3s and has been unable to land a triple loop.in competition this past season. Emily has proven to her peers that she can get still get high placements Nationally even when she has clumsy falls. Unfortunately, Emily hasn't proven much internationally, at least not at the Senior level, due to her inability to skate a clean FS when it counts.

Seems the ice has been far more slippery for Emily than for Kimmie.....

Except for Meissner's remarkable LP at 2006 Worlds, I think Emily has done a pretty good job of keeping up with Kimmie internationally.

At the Olympics Kimmie was 6th, Emily 7th. In the Grand Prix, Kimmie got 4th at Trophee Eric Bompard and 4th at NHK, while Emily got 4th at Skate America and 4th at Cup of Russia. On the tie-breaker, Kimmie was ranked 14th and Emily 15th in the final GP standings.

In the U.S., I think the judges like Emily a lot and are hoping to be able to reward her efforts with high marks this season.